School buses typically have a rear exit door. However, sometimes it is difficult to open the door to allow people to escape from the bus after an accident. This can be particularly difficult when the bus has been tipped over on its side and it is necessary to lift the weight of the rear door to open it.
My prior patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,215) describes an escape door system for a bus. That system involved an aperture in the rear wall, a tab member carried by one side edge of the door that projects through the aperture, and retention means inside the bus for retaining the tab member in the aperture. By releasing the tab member, the entire rear door can be removed. However, it is necessary to release the tab member from inside the bus. This is not always possible or convenient.
There has not heretofore been provided an escape door system having the features and advantages provided by the present invention.